January 20, 2023 | By Bronwen Largier
As 2023 kicks off, the second of New Zealand’s next generation of convention centres, Tākina, remains on track to open before the middle of the year, with streetscape works and the final internal fitout taking place now and over the next few months.
Tākina’s sustainable façade is now largely complete and works on one of the laneways surrounding the centre was finished at the end of 2022, with works now taking place on the service lane for the venue.
Along with the initial concrete pour down the service laneway, carpets have been laid in the level two plenary space.
Other internal works include the technology fitout and commissioning, which has been underway since November.
A series of trial events across several different event formats will take place throughout May, including the centre’s first international event, the Trans-Tasman Members’ Choice Symposium, from the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the New Zealand Psychological Society.
Tākina’s first official events will take place at the beginning of June, just before the New Zealand events industry – and hundreds of Australian buyers – put the venue through its paces at MEETINGS, the industry’s trade show organised by Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA).
“Having been involved for quite a lot of years, I think for me, we’re so on track it’s extraordinary,” David Perks, who leads the development of the convention centre for the city, told micenet at the end of 2022.
“But I feel like we’ve just turned the final corner into the final straight and we’re sprinting. Because you’ve still got sprint to get to the finish line.
“I do see that between now and the end of May, we’re going to be extraordinarily busy making sure that everything that is well in place is delivered exactly as we want it to be.”
